Convertible garment collar



Oct.22, 1957 J. DE GRA ZIA 2,810,130

CONVERTIBLE GARMENT COLLAR Filed June 6, 1956 INVENTOR 11059 912 flegz'azz'a ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice 2,810,130 Patented Oct. 22, 1957 CONVERTHBLE GARMENT COLLAR Joseph De Grazia, Washington, D. C. Application June 6, 1956, Serial No. 589,828 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-116) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purpose, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to convertible collars for body garments of the coat, shirt or jacket type having neck and front openings. Such garments include collar and lapel portions which are adapted to be moved from an open or sport position to a closed or dress position and usually include means for securing the parts in the closed position.

Such garments are well known but have a common objectionable feature that all or part of the means for securing the collar and lapel in the closed position are visible at some time or other, whereby to detract from the appearance of the garment.

With the foregoing invention, it is an object of the invention to provide improved means for securing a convertible collar in the closed position, such means being concealed entirely in both positions of the collar.

A further object is to provide an improved convertible collar for the garments which includes novel means for securing one fastener element to the garment in a position wherein it is concealed at all times.

Other objections and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several elements thereof, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, upon reference to the drawing in connection with the following specification wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of a garment according to the invention the collar being shown in the closed or dress position;

Figure 2 is a view like Figure l with one of the collar tabs elevated to show the normally concealed securing means;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 1 but showing the parts in the open or sport position; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the planes of the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts in all views, designates any suitable body garments such as a coat, jacket or shirt which includes a neck opening defined by a collar 11 which is secured about the neck opening by a seam 12. The garment also comprises a front opening defined by edge portions 13 and 14 of the garment 10. The upper portions of the edge portions 13 and 14 are formed to provide lapels 15 and 16.

To secure the collar 11 and lapels 15 and 16 in the closed positions of Figures 1 and 2, there has been provided a tab 17 which has an upper edge caught in the seam 12 which secures the collar to the garment. The rear surface of the tab 17 has secured thereto in any suitable manner, any well known separable fastener element such as the snap fastener element 18. A complementary fastener element 19 is secured to the under surface of the lapel 15 which is located on the opposite side of the front opening from the tab 17. The tab 17 is secured in the seam 12 in laterally spaced relation to the front opening and the adjacent lapel 16. This arrangement, as clearly seen in Figure 1, together with the position of the fastener element 19, entirely conceals the tab 17 and both fastener elements 18 and 19 when the lapels and collar are in the closed position. As clearly seen in Fig. 3, the tab 17 and body fastener element are likewise concealed when the parts are in the open or sport position. Moreover, by catching the upper edge of the tab 17 in the seam 12, the tab is secured in position at the time the collar is attached to the garment whereby to eliminate a separate operation in the manufacture.

While there has been shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

In body garment, front and back panels having a front opening and a neck opening, a collar secured about said neck opening by a seam, edge portions of said front panels of said garment having upper ends comprising lapels on opposite sides of said front opening, said collar and lapels being convertible from an open sport position to a closed dress position; the improvement comprising a flexible tab having an upper edge secured to said garment adjacent said seam in spaced relation to a lapel and said front opening, a separable fastener element on said tab rearwardly thereof, a complementary separable fastener element on the other lapel portion rearwardly thereof, and said collar and lapels being formed and arranged to conceal entirely said fastener elements and tab in both said open and closed positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,287,258 Levy et al. June 23, 1942 2,425,091 Fisch Aug. 5, 1947 2,740,124 Walensky Apr. 3, 1956 2,756,432 Beregow et a1. July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 387,708 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1933 

